The Ministry of Health reported that 218,601 (29%) of the population over 18 had received their first dose and 26, 358 (3.5%) had completed their double vaccination.

In the Dili municipality, where the first vaccine dose was administered, the Ministry of Health said 54.3%, or 116,042 people had received their first vaccine and 14,446 (6.74%) had already received both doses.

The announcement comes as a further 40,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine landed in Timor-Leste on Thursday. The doses were funded by Australia.

In a joint statement, Australian Foreign Minister Marisa Payne and International and Pacific Development Minister Zed Seselja announced this week that the donation was part of 15 million shots of the vaccine to the region by mid-2022.

As of Thursday, Timor-Leste has reported 887 active cases of COVID-19 infection, bringing the country’s total to 9,594 cases and 25 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.